Refrigerated article dispensing apparatus



REFRIGERATED ARTICLE DISPENSING APPARATUS Spencer L. Childers, Fresno, Califi, assignor, by niesne assignments, to The Vendo Company, Kansas City, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application April 19, 1954, Serial No. 424,096

9 Ciaims. (Cl. 62-102) The present invention relates to refrigerated cabinets and more particularly to refrigerated article dispensing apparatus.

Apparatus for the controlled dispensing of refrigerated articles are Well-known particularly in the form of coin operated vending machines. Refrigeration problems encountered in such apparatus are conveniently typified herein by reference to bottle vending machines although it is to be understood that the invention is applicable generally to refrigerated cabinets, compartments, and the like where comparable problems are encountered.

Inasmuch as one of the major expenses of selling bottled beverages in vending machines is the requirement for frequently replenishing the supply of bottled beverages therein, economic considerations require that such vending machines be of as large capacity as possible consistent with space limitations and refrigeration capacity dictated by environmental conditions, initial investment, and operating expense.

Expressed differently, refrigeration systems in bottle vending machines must not be so large as to be excessively expensive to provide or operate, for the operation of vending machines is a highly competitive business. As a consequence, the capacities of vending machines are limited to predetermined available refrigeration and excessively frequent replenishing of bottled beverages often required.

It has been discovered that complete stock rotation tends to minimize refrigeration load and to insure the dispensing of the bottled beverages which have been in the vending machine for the longest period of time and thus are the most thoroughly chilled. Further, the present invention is based upon the discovery that by the proper circulation of cooled air in a refrigerated cabinet vastly improved results are attainable. For example, the

greatest refrigeration problem is encountered in such machines when they are reloaded with bottles which are the environmental temperature much above the optimum temperature for potability. In actual tests at an environmental temperature of 100 F., the apparatus of the present invention has achieved a desired refrigerating performance heretofore only attainable in conventional apparatus by utilizing refrigeration systems having two or three times the capacity and power requirements.

it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved refrigerated article dispensing apparatus.

Another object of the present invention is to make possible increased capacity in refrigerated article dispensing apparatus without increased refrigeration requirements or decreased cooling eifect on articles to be dispensed.

Another object is to make possible substantial decrease in refrigeration power requirements for given capacity refrigerated article dispensing apparatus without impairing refrigeration performance of the apparatus.

Another object is to provide an improved refrigerated cabinet having markedly improved refrigeration efiiciency vas compared with previously known devices of the type.

nited States Patent ice Patented May 14, 1957 Another object is to provide an article delivery apparatus having a refrigeration system adapted most efficiently to cool the next to be dispensed articles and progressively less thoroughly to cool the articles in their predetermined order of delivery.

Another object is to provide a refrigerated article dispensing apparatus which insures positive stock rotation.

Another object is more effectively to utilize available refrigeration capacity in article dispensing apparatus.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent in the subsequent description in the specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a bottle vending machine constructed in accordance with the principle of the present invention with a near side of a cabinet thereof removed for illustrative convenience and with a bottle magazine therein shown in vertical section.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse section through the machine taken at the position indicated by line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a somewhat enlarged fragmentary central vertical section of the machine taken at the position indicated at 3--3 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a somewhat enlarged fragmentary vertical detail section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Referring in greater detail to the drawing:

For purposes of illustration, the invention is shown as applied to a bottle vending machine having a cabinet designated by reference numeral 10 and formed by insulated walls including a top wall 11, side walls 12 and 13, rear wall 14, and a bottom wall 15. The cabinet has an open front which is releasably closed by an insulated door 16.

In the cabinet 10 there is a horizontal partition 18 defining the bottom wall of a refrigerating compartment 19 and the top wall of a machinery compartment 20. The machinery compartment contains a sealed motorcompressor unit 21 of a conventional refrigeration apparatus. Inasmuch as the particular type of refrigeration apparatus employed is not material to the novel refrigeration system provided by this invention, it is not described herein in detail. For purposes of this disclosure, it is considered sufiicient to point out that the unit 21 circulates refrigerant through a condenser (not shown) in the machinery compartment and thence through a supply tube 22 to a cooling or evaporator coil 23 mounted in the refrigerating compartment and from which the refrigerant flows through a return tube 24 to the motor compressor unit, thereby completing a refrigeration cycle as is well understood by those skilled in the art.

In the refrigerating compartment there is a horizontally arranged support frame 27 spaced above the partition 18 which includes a pair of channel bars 28 secured at their ends to opposite side walls of the cabinet, and a plurality of cross channels 29 welded or otherwise suitably fastened on, and extending transversely of the channel bars 28. A cast metal pillow block 30 is bolted, as at 31, to a centermost pair of cross channels 29 in an axially upright position substantially centrally of the compartment 19, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 3. Depending from the top Wall of the cabinet is a spindle 32 arranged in axial alignment with the pillow block 30.

The refrigerating compartment houses a bottle magazine unit, designated generally by reference numeral 34, of substantially cylindrical shape and supported axially vertically and concentrically on the block 30 for rotation. The unit 34 comprises a plurality of radially arranged panels 35 separating the unit into a corresponding number of vertical bottle compartments. Each panel has an inner lip 36 bent at substantially right angles thereto. Each lip is secured in overlapping relation to corresponding lips of adjacent panels to form a central cylindrical structure 37. The outer edges of the panels are formed into outer lips 38 extending substantially at right angles to the general plane of their respective P ne s- B v -au? b t s ,9 a e ranse n tas edr latiori in th e vertical compartment defined by the panels 35, and are kept from sliding radially outwardly from their compartments by engagement of their bottom ends with the outer lips 38. V l

Th lo r nd. tth i dr k tmct re 3 is p vided with a spider 40 having a hub 41 receiving an axially extending journal 42 for rotatively mounting the bottle magazine unit on the pillow block 39. The magazine unit may be slightly adjusted upwardly or downwardly by means ot a screw pin 43 threaded axially in the pillow block and adjustable to raise or to, lower the journal 42 in the bearing, as desired. The spider 40 has a peripheralflange 26 extending radially outwardly beyond the eentral cylindrical structure to, provide a rest for the capped ends of the lowermost bottles in each bottle compartrr ent At its top end, the centralcylindrical structure is prOYidQd with a spider 44, the hub of which receives the spindle, 32,. and thereby holds the bottle magazine unit axially upright for rotation in the refrigra n hambe 7 Forrefiecting rotation of the magazine unit, it is provided at its lower end with a gear ring 47 connected to the outer lips of the panel 35 so as to maintain the panels in desired spaced relation. Gear teeth 48 are formed in the lower edge of the rim 47 and these mesh with teeth onadrive gear 49 suitably secured on a shaft 50 which extends through and is journaled in the cabinet door 16 for rotation thereof by means of a handle 51 integral with the outer end of the shaft, in predetermined increments of stepped progression. Each increment isv such as to advance the magazine a distance sufficient to dispense one bottle.

As illustrated in Fig. 4, the door 16 is provided with a bottle discharge opening 53 positioned in alignment with the lower end of an inclined and upwardly extending chute 54 mounted adjacent to the inside face of the door and positioned below the bottle magazine unit so as to receive bottles gravitating from the bottle compartment. Each of the panels '35 contains a trigger finger ,5,pivotally'mounted in the lower end portion of the bottle compartment for releasably supporting the outwardly disposed end of the lowermost bottle of the stack of bottles in the compartment. There is a trip rod 56 suitably mounted-in fixed relation to the chute 54 for tripping each of the fingers 55 as the magazine is rotated successively to bring each bottle compartment into bottle-dispensing position above the chute 54. When fingers 55 are tripped by engagement with rod 56, the finger releases the lowermost bottle (desig iated as 39a .inFigA) from its respective compartment and allows such bottle to drop onto 'the chute for sliding out through the discharge opening 53 which is normally closed by a pivoted flap 57. Release of the lowermost bottle 39a from a bottle compartment makes it necessary to support the remainder of the bottles in'the compartment. In the illustrated embodiment, this is accomplished by provision of a pair of dividing or separator rods 58 supported in fixed relation to the chute and arranged to extend horizontally between a lowermost bottle 39a and a next higherbottle 39b in a compartment'as that compartment approaches bottle-discharge position, Each of the panels 35 is cut away as indicated at 59 to permit rotative movement of the magazine without interference by the separator rod. The above brief description of a suitable arrangement for etfeeting successive release of bottles from the magazine unitasthe unit is rotated in anv msrmi nt'i n a iasr by mi ra i n f h handle '5 i' dsre to. be Sflffidfi it' o h r es o hi d s.- l snrs i i a e. P u ar yp o a bqttlerelease me hanism employed is not material to the present invention and it is contemplated that any appropriate release mechanism may be employed. Should it be desired to obtain a more detailed description of a bottle-releasing mechanism of the type described above, reference may be had to U. S. Patent No. 2,693,300, entitled, Vending machine, issued November 2, 1954. Although the in vention as herein illustrated and described as applied to a vending machine having a bottle-releasing and dispensing mechanism that may be freely actuated by operation of a handle 51, in practice, such vending machines are usually provided with a coin-control device requiring insertion of a coin into the machine before release of a bottle may be effected. Although a suitable coin-control device has not been illustrated herein it is contemplated that in at least most cases of use, vending machines of this invention will be provided with a coincontrol device.

Cooling air circulation system The present invention is directed to the manner in which air within the refrigerating chamber is cooled and caused to be circulated in the chamber for cooling articles placed in a suitable carriage such as the bottle magazine unit 34 described above. The air circulating system provided by this invention maintains the next-tobe-vended article at a desired reduced temperature and although it effects appreciable cooling of the last-to-bevended article, such cooling is not at a temperature nearly as low as that of the next-to-be-vended article. It will be recognized that a much more effective utilization of available refrigeration capacity results than heretofore attained. The details of a structure which effects air circulation according to the present invention follows.

As explained above, the machinery chamber 20 contains a motor compressor unit and condenser of a conventional refrigerating apparatus and these are connected to a refrigerating coil 23 positioned in the refrigerating chamber for circulating refrigerant through the cooling coil. The refrigerating coil 23 comprises a plurality of tubes arranged in cylindrically wound convolutions sub stantially concentric to the refrigerating chambe Adjacent convolutions of the coil are preferably spaced to accommodate the passage of air therebetween.

A shroud 62 having a circular opening 63 is mounted in overlaying relation to the coil 23 with the opening located substantially concentrically thereof. The shroud is conveniently supported on brackets 64 borne by the channel bars 28 and by means of legs 65 upwardly extended from the partition '18. A fan stand 66 is mounted on the partition 18 and supports an electric fan 67, of any suitable for-m, concentrically of the opening 63 and in a position to blow air upwardly through the opening. As the air is urged upwardly by the fan, it reduces the air pressure within the coil 23 so that air Within the cabinet 10 passes inwardly between the convolution of the coil and is cooled by intimate engagement therewith.

In conventional bottle dispensing apparatus of the general type described to this point, cold air is circulated by the fan 67'upwardly through the central cylindrical structure 37 which acts as a conduit. In this way cold air is delivered to the top of the cabinet and drawn downwardly over the bottles for re-circulation through the coil 23. In such known apparatus, the magazine 34 may be designed for reloading from the bottom or from the top. If reloaded from the bottom, the last bottles to be loaded, and thus'the Warmest, are the first to be dispensed and as a result the vending machine must be withheld from operation for a period sulficient to chill the newly loaded bottles or the bottles are permitted to be dispensed before being properly chilled. Either eventuality is'scriously objection'able, If the magazine is designed for top loading, as is the'qase'of the magazine shown in 34, the conventional circulation of'chilled 'air so as to deliver it to theuppermost bottles-firstresultsin a general raising of the temperature of the entire compartment until all of the bottles in the magazine can be chilled. In'this arrangement, it is found impossible to assure customers of properly chilled bottles for a considerable period after each reloading operation. The present invention overcomes the objections encountered in both top loading and bottom loading of conventional dispensing apparatus of the character described by circulating the refrigerated air motivated by the fan 67 in a much more effective pattern.

A frusto-conical air guide 70 is mounted concentrically of the magazine 34 on the cross channels 29, as by bolts 71 extended through the cross channels and an annular flange 72. It will be observed that the bolt 71 also conveniently serve to hold the pillow block 30 in position. At its lower end, the air guide 70 has a diameter approximating the aggregate width of the adjacent central channels 29 and at its upper end an overall diameter approximating, but preferably slightly in excess of, the diameter of the cylindrical structure 37. The guide is axially aligned with the fan 67 and preferably spaced from the lower end of the magazine a distance sufficient to permit a minor amount of air movement therebetween. It will of course be obvious that such spacing is not of critical significance.

Operation The operation of the bottle dispensing apparatus described is believed to be clearly apparent but is briefly summarized for convenience in understanding the improved results attained. Stacks of bottles 39 are loaded into the pockets defined by the panels 35 until each of such pockets is substantially filled. As previously described, the loading is accomplished from the upper end of each pocket and the dispensing of successive bottles effected from the lower ends of the pockets.

When the loading operation is completed, the door 16 is closed and locked by any suitable means and the re-' frigeration system actuated to cool the bottles 39 in the magazine. As previously explained, the uppermost bottles are usually cooled first in conventional apparatus of the type described and the lowermost bottles insufii ciently chilled until substantially all of the bottles can be cooled to desiredpotability. In such apparatus an excessive lapse of time is required between loading and the dispensing of thoroughly chilled beverages. In the described structure this delay to achieve initial chilling is reduced to a fraction of the time previously required. The fan 67, which is either continuously operated or operated concurrently with the refrigeration system as preferred, blows cool air upwardly against the guide 70 which diverts the air as indicated by.the arrows 73 and precludes its movement upwardly of the cylindrical structure 37 as conventionally occurs. The diverted air moves radially of the magazine and because of its radial component of movement and resistance offered by the bottles soon returns in a swirling action represented at 74 under the drawing affect of the fan and passes downwardly, as at 75, for re-passage through the coil 23. The re-chilled air is then drawn upwardly at 76 for re-circulation. It will thus be seen that only the lower layers of bottles in the pockets are subjected to the. described air stream. Inasmuch as such bottles contain far less latent heat than the entire supply of bottles in the magazine they are rapidly chilled and are ready for dispensing much more promptly than heretofore considered possible.

he v swirling of the coldest air in the course represented by the arrows 72?, '74, 75 and 76 creates a turbulence in the magazine therea'oove indicated by the arrows 77 which gradually distributes cool air throughout the magazine while the coldest air is retained at the bottom thereof and recirculated. As successive bottles are dispensed from their respective pockets, the bottles thereabove gradually descend and are progressively cooled as they reach dispensing position. The described concentration of cooling; effect not only assures prompt availability of chilled 6 beverages and minimizes forced periods of inoperability, but by avoiding an overall uniform cooling of the bottles minimizes the peak refrigeration load incident to magazine loading or reloading and because the coldest zone .in the compartment is so localized heat gain through the walls of the compartment is minimized.

When the stock of bottles 39 has been depleted, they are replaced by reloading the machine in the manner described. Normally this is done before all of the bottles are removed and thus bottles are retained in position for dispensing which are already thoroughly chilled. By such positive stock rotation it is impossible for a stable supply of bottled beverages or other articles to be retained in the machine and the most thoroughly chilled bottles are always those next to be vended. The warm newly supplied bottles are gradually cooled as before by the time they have reached vending position are thoroughly chilled and ready for use.

The significance of the present invention is easily demonstrated by reference to test results. An apparatus of the character described was located in a test room in which the temperature was consistently maintained at F. and the relative humidity at 50%. The apparatus was of a size to contain 340 bottles which were loaded into the magazine while at 100 F. The refrigeration system was allowed to cool the compartment until the temperature of the lowermost bottles was reduced to approximately 29 F. At the end of an hour and fifteen minutes the contents of the bottles first to be vended were partially frozen. Two hundred forty bottles were then dispensed from the machine at the rate of four bottles per minute. During such vending the beverages of the dispensed bottles did not exceed 29 F. After 240 bottles had been dispensed, the door 16 was opened and the magazine reloaded with 240 bottles at a temperature of 100 F. The 100 previously loaded bottles were of course somewhat warmed during the reloading operation to the extent that heat was admitted through the open doorway. As soon as the magazine was reloaded, the door was closed and the vending of bottles at the rate of four per minute resumed. At no time did the temperature of the beverages of the vended bottles exceed 34 F. which is lower than attainable by conventional dispensing machines of similar capacity and refrigeration capabilities when subjected to an ambient temperature of 100 F. for protracted periods without reloading.

Precisely the same experiment was conducted under the same temperature conditions but with the air guide 7t) removed so that the cold air circulated by the fan 67 could pass upwardly through the central cylindrical structure 37 in the conventional manner. Precisely the same cabinet was employed, same operating mechanism, and same refrigeration system. With the refrigerated air circulating in the conventional manner, it took from four to five hours to freeze even a small portion of the bever ages in any of the bottles in contrast with an hour and a quarter to freeze the contents of the next to be vended bottles when the air guide 70 was employed. Although the. temperature of the vended bottles never went above 34 F. after reloading when the air guide 70 was employed, the temperature of the beverages when the air guide was removed went to 56 F. when the refrigerated air was circulated in the conventionalmanner V The apparatus of the present invention has made possible the more efficient utilization of refrigeration in refrigerated dispensing apparatus and the like. Capacities of such dispensing apparatus as a result can be substantially increased, the delay required to chill freshly loaded articles substantially reduced, and the dependability of chilling of next to be vended articles vastly improved without any increase in refrigeration capacity. Overalf heat gain is minimized by concentrating the refrigeration effect. Such concentration of the refrigerating etfect on: the bottles next to be vended successfully avoids excesmousse sive refrigeration loads incident to loading or reloading operations.

Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and apparatus.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a refrigerated article dispensing apparatus having a cabinet in which articles are housed for cooling purposes and successively advanced in predetermined increments of stepped progression downwardly in a substantially helical path to a predetermined discharge position, the combination of a refrigeration system having a substantially annular evaporator coil located in the cabinet concentrically below the helical path of the articles, said coil having a plurality of elevationally spaced convolutions defining air spaces therebetween, a fan mounted in axial alignment with the coil adapted to direct air upwardly substantially axially of the helical article path, an annular shroud in overlaying relation to the coil having a central opening vertically aligned with the fan and a periphery in spaced relation to the cabinet defining an air return path therebetween, and an air deflecting guide mounted above the fan adjacent to the lower end of the article path aligned with the fan and opening in the shroud adapted to deflect air outwardly over the lower end portion of the path for return to the fan about the periphery of the shroud and through the air spaces between the convolutions of the coil for recirculation.

2. In a vending machine for refrigerated articles having a cabinet providing an insulated compartment, the combination of a substantially cylindrical magazine mounted in the cabinet for rotation about a substantially erect axis and having a passage upwardly substantially concentrically therethrough, the magazine having substantially erect elongated pockets therein adapted to receive articles to be dispensed at the upper ends thereof for stacked arrangement therein, means for rotating the magazine in predetermined increments of stepped progression successively to locate the pockets at a predetermined dispensing position, means at the dispensing position for dispensing the lowermost article from each pocket as the pockets are successively located at the dispensing position, a refrigeration system having a substantially circular evaporator coil mounted in the compartment concentrically beneath the magazine, the coil having a plurality of convolutions spaced for the passage of air therebetween, a shroud mounted in covering relation to the coil and having an opening therethrough substantially concentrically of the coil, a fan mounted in alignment with the opening in the shroud within the coil and concentrically aligned with the passage in the magazine adapted to direct air upwardly toward the magazine, and a substantially frusto-conical air guide having upwardly divergent sides mounted concentrically beneath the magazine in alignment with the fan whereby air directed upwardly by the fan is diverted outwardly of the magazine through the lower end portions of the pockets thereof to cool the lowermost articles in the pockets and thence drawn downwardly beneath the shroud and between the convolutions of the evaporator coil by the fan.

3. In a bottle vending machine having a cabinet providing an insulated compartment, a substantially cylindrical magazine for bottled beverages having a substantially cylindrical passage concentrically therethrough mounted in the cabinet for rotation about a substantially erect concentric axis, the magazine having substantially erect elongated pockets therein adapted to receive bottles at the upper ends thereof for stacked arrangement therein, means for rotating the magazine in predetermined increments of stepped progression successively to locate the pockets at a predetermined dispensing position, means at the dispensing position for dispensing the lowermost bottle from each pocket as the pockets are successively located at the dispensing position, and a refrigeration system having a substantially circular evaporator coil mounted in the compartment concentrically beneath the magazine, the coil having a plurality of convolutions spaced for the passage of air therebetween; the combination of an annular shroud mounted in covering relation to the coil having an opening therethrough substantially concentrically of the coil, a fan mounted in alignment with the opening in the shroud concentrically aligned with the passage in the magazine adapted to direct air upwardly toward the magazine, and a substantially frusto-conical air guide having upwardly divergent sides mounted concentrically beneath the magazine in alignment with the fan whereby air directed upwardly by the fan is diverted outwardly of the magazine through the lower end portions of the pockets thereof to cool the lowermost bottles in the pockets and thence drawn downwardly beneath the shroud and between the convolutions of the evaporator coil by the fan, the major diameter of the guide being at least as great as the diameter of the magazine passage and the guide being downwardly spaced from the magazine.

4. In a refrigerated article dispensing apparatus having a cabinet, a magazine mounted in the cabinet having an upper end adapted to receive articles to be dispensed in substantially erect stacks therein and a lower end, and means 'for dispensing the articles in the stacks from the lower end of the magazine; the combination of a refrigeration system having an evaporator located in the cabinet beneath the magazine, a fan mounted adjacent to the evaporator beneath the magazine and arranged to draw air through the evaporator and to discharge the air upwardly toward the magazine and substantially concentrically thereof, an air guide substantially concentrically positioned between the lower end of the magazine and the fan in the stream of air from the fan for precluding passage of air directly concentrically upwardly of the magazine and for deflecting the stream laterally over the lower end portion of the magazine, and a shroud having a central opening aligned with the fan and outer edges in inwardly spaced relation to the cabinet defining an air return path therebetween.

5. In a vending machine for refrigerated articles having a cabinet providing walls defining a compartment, the combination of a substantially erect magazine mounted in the cabinet and having substantially erect elongated pockets therein adapted to receive articles to be dispensed at the upper ends thereof for stacked arrangement therein, means at the lower end of the magazine for dispensing the lowermost articles in the pockets, a refrigeration system having an evaporator mounted in the compartment beneath the magazine, a shroud mounted in covering relation to the evaporator and having an opening therethrough downwardly adjacent to the magazine and centrally thereof and providing an outer edge in spaced relation to a wall of the cabinet defining an air return passage therebetween, a fan mounted in alignment with the opening in the shroud positioned to draw air through the evaporator and opening in the shroud and to impel the air upwardly toward the magazine, and an air guide mounted centrally beneath the magazine in alignment with the fan having a side disposed at an angle to the stream of air impelled by the fan upwardly toward the magazine whereby the air stream is diverted outwardly of the magazine through a lower end portion of the pockets thereof. toward the side wall of the cabinet with which the outer edge of the shroud defines an air return passage.

6. In a vending machine for refrigerated articles having a cabinet providing walls defining a compartment, the combination of a substantially erect magazine mounted in the cabinet and having substantially erect elongated pockets therein adapted to receive articles to be dispensed at the upper ends thereof for stacked arrangement therein, means at the lower end of the magazine for dispensing the lowermost articles in the pockets, a refrigeration system having a substantially horizontally disposed annular evaporator coil mounted in the compartment beneath the magazine and centrally thereof, the coil having a plurality of elevationally spaced convolutions for the passage of air therebetween, a shroud mounted on the coil in covering relation thereto and having an opening therethrough substantially concentrically of the coil and having a periphery in inwardly spaced relation to the walls of the cabinet and defining an air return passage therebetween, a fan mounted in alignment with the opening in the shroud and adapted to direct air upwardly therefrom toward the magazine, and an air guide having upwardly divergent sides mounted centrally beneath the magazine in alignment with the fan, said sides of the guide being in angular relation to the air directed upwardly by the fan so as to divert the air outwardly of the magazine through the lower end portions of the pockets thereof toward the side walls of the cabinet with which the outer periphery of the shroud defines air return passages.

7. In a vending machine for refrigerated articles having a cabinet providing walls defining a compartment, a substantially erect magazine mounted in the cabinet and having substantially erect elongated pockets therein adapted to receive articles to be dispensed in the upper ends thereof for stacked arrangement therein, and means in the lower end of the magazine for dispensing the lowermost articles from the pockets; the combination of a refrigeration system having a substantially annular evaporator coil mounted in a substantially horizontal position beneath the magazine and centrally thereof, the coil having a plurality of elevationally spaced convolutions for the passage of air therebetween, a shroud mounted on the coil in covering relation thereto and having an opening therethrough substantially concentrically of the coil and having a periphery in inwardly spaced relation to the walls of the cabinet and defining an air return passage therebetween, a fan mounted in alignment with the opening in the shroud beneath the magazine having a substantially erect axis of rotation concentrically of the opening in the shroud and of the coil, and an air guide mounted intermediate the magazine and the fan having a side disposed at an oblique angle to the rotational axis of the fan upwardly inclined toward a side wall of the cabinet with which the outer periphery of the shroud defines an air return passage.

8. In a vending machine for refrigerated articles having a cabinet providing walls defining a compartment, a substantially erect magazine mounted in the cabinet and having substantially erect elongated pockets therein adapted to receive articles to be dispensed in the upper ends thereof for stacked arrangement therein and providing a substantially erect cylindrical air passage concentrically therethrough, and means in the lower end of the magazine for dispensing the lowermost articles from the pockets; the combination of a refrigeration system having a substantially cylindrical evaporator coil mounted in the cabinet beneath the magazine substantially concentrically of the cylindrical air passage therethrough, an annular shroud mounted intermediate the coil and the magazine having an opening therethrough concentrically of the axis of the passage through the magazine and providing a substantially concentric periphery in spaced relation to the walls of the cabinet and defining an air return passage therebetween, a fan mounted beneath the magazine having an axis of rotation substantially concentric to the passage in the magazine adapted to impel air upwardly from the opening in the shroud toward the magazinc, and a frusto-conical air guide mounted in downwardly adjacent spaced relation to the magazine in upwardly spaced relation to the fan substantially concentrically of the axis of the air passage and having upwardly divergent sides.

9. In a refrigerated article dispensing apparatus having a cabinet, a magazine mounted in the cabinet in which articles are received for cooling purposes and successively advanced in predetermined increments of stepped progression downward-1y in a predetermined path to a lower end portion providing an article discharge station, the combination of a refrigeration system having an evaporator coil located in the cabinet below the magazine and the path of the articles, a fan mounted in substantially axial alignment with the coil and adapted to direct air upwardly substantially axially of the magazine, an annular shroud in overlaying relation to the coil having a central opening vertically aligned with the fan and a periphery in spaced relation to the cabinet defining an air return path therebetween, and an air deflecting guide mounted between the fan and the magazine and aligned with the fan and the opening in the shroud so as to deflect air outwardly over the lower end portion of the magazine for return to the fan between the periphery of the shroud and the cabinet and over the coil tor recirculation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,304,484 Smith Dec. 8, 1942 2,336,382 Albrecht Dec. 7, 1943 2,435,177 Oonnell et al. Jan. 27, 1948 2,529,470 Johnson Nov. 7, 1950 2,610,100 Childers Sept. 9, 1952 2,679,143 Helsing May 25, 1954 2,739,455 Idzi Mar. 27, 1956 

